Theresa May’s decision to call a snap general election on June 8 has thrown the Gorton by-election into chaos – while creating headaches for Labour MPs defending marginal seats across Greater Manchester.

Mrs May made the surprise announcement on the steps of Downing Street on Tuesday morning as Westminster returned after the Easter break.

The Prime Minister argued that for the sake of ‘stability’ and ‘unity’ Britain must now go to the polls.

The news sent shockwaves through the political establishment and led many Labour MPs to privately predict meltdown for their party.

Conflicting information emerged from different parts of government over whether the Gorton poll will be cancelled.

One Tory source said the party’s head office had this morning advised that all elections due on May 4 would go ahead as planned.

But by mid-afternoon, cabinet minister David Davis had told Sky News the Gorton by-election would be cancelled.

An hour later, David Liddington, leader of the House of Commons, told journalists that the decision ultimately rests in the hands of Manchester council’s returning officer, new chief executive Joanne Roney.

The Electoral Commission also directed the M.E.N. to the council.

Read More

Returning Officer for Manchester, Joanne Roney, said: “We are seeking advice in discussion with the government and Electoral Commission and will confirm arrangements for the Manchester Gorton constituency as soon as possible.”

One source on Labour’s Gorton campaign described the situation as ‘chaos’.

Meanwhile the Labour party is now looking over its shoulder in a number of marginal seats across Greater Manchester.

Former Withington MP John Leech, currently a Lib Dem councillor, announced within hours that he would stand there again.

He will take on Labour’s Jeff Smith, who won the seat from him just two years ago.

John Leech (Image: Vincent Cole)

Coun Leech will be hoping to take advantage of Labour’s disunity on Brexit – and its decision to back the triggering of Article 50 – in a seat that voted strongly to Remain.

“This election is a huge opportunity to change the direction of our country and keep our city open, tolerant and united,” he said.

Labour is now more than 20 points behind in the polls - likely to be the key reason Mrs May reversed her insistence that no early general election would be called.

Read More

The party could now find itself under pressure in seats it has held fairly comfortably for years.

One Labour MP said gloomily this would be ‘curtains for the Labour party’.

Video Loading

Video Unavailable

Click to playTap to play

The video will start in 8Cancel

Play now

Tory sights may well be trained on Bury South, which was Conservative until 1997 – and where Labour has faced a backlash from the Jewish community following the party’s internal anti-Semitism row over the last year.

Lucy Powell, MP for Manchester Central , tweeted that the fight was going to be ‘tough’, while several others slammed Mrs May for putting ‘party before country’.

Questions have also been asked over former Chancellor George Osborne, whose Tatton constituency had been set to be abolished in a boundary review.

Many had expected him to seek a safe London seat to tie in with his editorship of the Evening Standard, but as the June election will be fought on current boundaries, he would have to remain as a northern MP if he stood again.

The region’s mayoral elections are expected to go ahead as planned on May 4.

Andy Burnham, Labour’s candidate, said he would not be standing again as MP in Leigh regardless of whether he wins the race to become the region’s mayor.

“It doesn’t change much. It was always the case you couldn’t be Greater Manchester mayor and an MP. It just means Leigh would no longer have a by-election,” he said.

Mr Burnham said the country had been through too much political turmoil in the last three years to face another general election, however, adding: “People want the government to get on with the job and it looks like the Tory party has put its own interests before the national interests.”

Read More

In Rochdale , Simon Danczuk – who has been suspended from the Labour party since the start of last year over texts he sent to a teenager – demanded he be reinstated.

Otherwise he would simply stand as an independent, he said, adding: “Given the Prime Minister’s intention, I intend to stand again and I now look forward to putting my case forward to the people of Rochdale.”

Simon Danczuk (Image: Julian Hamilton/Daily Mirror)

Speaking on the steps of Downing Street, Mrs May said the general election – expected to be backed by a vote of MPs tomorrow – represented a ‘simple challenge’ to opposition parties.

The only way to guarantee stability going forward was through a general election, she said, adding: “Let us put forward our programmes for Brexit and alternative programmes for government and let the country decide.”